Brownsville “Colored” Population in the 1872/1873 Directory

abstracted from: Brownsville City Directory 1872/1873

directory_abbreviations02

Bennett, Sam (col’d) drayman, r. Washington
Bond, M. (col’d) lab. r. Jefferson 7 doors e. M. &. O. R. R.
Bond, Ned (col’d) P. r. w. Main near s. College
Bond, George (col’d) lab. r. n. Main
Bond, Jeff. (col’d) drayman r. Margin
Bradford, Ned (col’d) lab. r. Wilson cor. Hatchie
Brather, Anderson (col’d) carpenter, r. Lafayette cor. College
Brown, Thomas (col’d) barber, 14 Depot up stairs
Burns, Nat (col’d) lab. r. n. Main
Byass, Wm (col’d) lab. r. Lafayette cor. Washington
Capel, euben, (col’d) barber, r. w. Main near R. R.
Chilton, John (col’d) lab. r. w. Main cor. R. R.
Clark., Allen (col’d) lab. r. Margin near Church
Claborne, Harriett (col’d) wid. r. Lafayette cor. College
Claborne, Thos. (col’d) mec. r. Lafayette cor. College
Claborne, Robt. (col’d) mec. r. Lafayette cor College
Clemons, Nute (col’d) lab. r. College cor Hatchie
Cooper, John (col’d) lab. r. Margin foot Hatchie
Coleman, W. (col’d) lab. at Bradford & Wilson’s mill
Cox, Henry, (col’d) carpenter, r. Hatchie cor. College
Currie, W. (col’d) lab. r. Lafayette cor. Washington
Day, James, (col’d) wagonmaker, r. College near Lafayette
Davis, Wm. (col’d) lab. r. in al. bet. w. Court and Hatchie
Estes, Carey, (col’d) barber, r. Park av. cor. Cherry
Farrington, Wm (col’d) r. w. Main cor. Thomas al
Faust, J. A. (col’d) restaurant at depot near N. O. R. R.
Ferrell, Aaron (col’d) porter for R. F. Louis, 11 s. Court
Freeman, Dick (col’d) cook for Head & Sherman
Freeman, Ed. (col’d) barber, r. 25 w. Court square
Gause, Jack, (col’d) lab. r. n. Main
Gracey, Jackson (col’d) drayman, r. Raidroad near College
Griggs, John (col’d) lab. r. Bradford av
Hamon, Lewis, (col’d) machinist, r. Bradford av
Hamon, Lewis, (col’d) blacksmith, Hatchie cor. w. Main
Howell, Walter, (col’d) hostler, r. Jackson cor. e. Main
Jones, Chess. (col’d) lab. r. Margin near Railroad
Jones, Page, (col’d) lab. r. w. Main cor. Railroad
Leigh, Wm. (col’d) lab. r. n. Main
Leigh, Wm. (col’d) lab. at Bradford & Wilson’s mill
Longley, Robert, (col’d) barber shop under C. H. ( C.H. ? means courthouse?  bb)
Maclin, Tom (col’d) r. w. Main near s. College

Mann, P. (col’d) barber shop under C. H.
Mann, Pinch, (col’d) lab. r. rear Male College
Moore, H. (col’d) minister, Depot 4 doors s. depot
Nixon, (col’d) H. grocer, Depot near Jefferson
Odell, Sam (col’d) blacksmith, r. Hatchie cor. w. Main
Read, Wm (cold) (ic) lab. r. w. Main
Read, Jim (col’d) lab. r. w. Main cor. S. College
Read, Douglass, (col’d) mec. r. w. cor Railroad
Reaves, B. (col’d) carpenter, cor. Haywood and Sherman
Rhodes, F. (col’d) shoemaker, Jefferson 4 doors s. Jackson
Sanford, R. (cold) (sic) laborer, r. near Railroad
Scott, J. (col’d) school teacher, r. Monroe
Sevier, Wm. (col’d) laborer at depot
Smith, Green, (col’d) drayman, r. Margin near Railroad
Smith, H. (col’d) grocer, Hatchie av. near depot
Spruel, Oliver (cold) (sic) laborer, r. Railroad near Margin
Stynax, Thos. (cold) (sic) laborer at Bradford & wilson’s mill
Taliaferro, Ed. (col’d) lab. r. Margin near R. R.
Taliaferro, Jos. (col’d) lab. r. Bradford av.
Taylor, Hark. – lab. (col’d) r. Washington cor. Lafayette
Taylor, B. – (col’d) lab. bds. on Railroad
Taylor, H. L. – (col’d) lab. Jackson cor. Washington
Taylor, D. – (col’d) steward Exchange Hotel
Taylor, J. – (col’d) waiter Exchange Hotel
Wade, Henry (col’d) porter Exchange Hotel
White, John (col’d) barber, r. Main nr. Hatchie
Williams, M. (col’d) mec. r. cor. Lafayette and Washington
Williams, James (col’d) lab. r. e. Margin nr. e. Main
Willis, Alfred, (col’d) carpenter, r. College near Church
Williams, M. (col’d) mec. r. cor. Lafayette and Washington
Williams, John (col’d) lab. r. e. Margin near e. Main
Wilks, R. (col’d) farmer, r. Haywood 1 door e. Sherman
winston, C. (col’d) restaurant, n. Main near Court
Wood, Miller (col’d) laborer r. Margin
Wood, Pat. (col’d) laborer, r. College near Depot
Woods, Sydney (col’d) wagonmaker, College near Lafayette

 

 

3 Replies to “Brownsville “Colored” Population in the 1872/1873 Directory”

  1. Thanks Taneya for providing this information. It provides a brief glance into the livelihood of our forefathers and an idea of how their lives were regimented. Saw only 1 reference to an educators, none for a doctor, though there must have been several fulfilling these roles. Seems there were several business owners. Good to know. Thanks again. Enjoyed the historical view.

    • Notice that there were seven barbers. Back in those days, barbers – whether black or white – were often expected to perform some minor medical and dental work, such as pulling teeth. So even if Brownsville didn’t officially have black “doctors,” barbers often fulfilled that role.
      The first black surgeon in Brownsville was Isham Henry Anthony, son of a local farmer who got a bachelor’s degree at Fisk University in Nashville and then a medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1890s.

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